Friction shifters with a ratchet mechanism for braze on downtube.
- Thread starter GuyBoden
- Start date
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OP
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GuyBoden
Guru
Yes, and I have been rightly corrected that the Simplex Retrofriction are not Ratchet mechanism, but spring clutch.
Thanks and obviously Campagnolo C-Record Retrofriction.
Edit: Also I have read that Shimano Unishift have a similar clutch mechanism to Simplex Retrofriction.
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OP
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GuyBoden
Guru
Yes, I have an old pair of plastic Suntour Accushift, but the friction mode doesn't function, the later version SL-IP00-B, that were sold as Sprint / Superbe Pro / Cyclone 7000 are reviewed as being very good.
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OP
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GuyBoden
Guru
Microshift produce a range of friction shifters with a ratchet mechanism, their MTB specific shifters work with the new Shimano MTB 10 speed rear derailleurs, which have a longer cable pull than a normal downtube shifter can usually achieve.
Microshift Barend BS-M10 also work with Shimano 10 Speed MTB derailleur. I believe that the shifter part can be used as a downtube shifter.
https://www.microshift.com/models/bs-m10/
Microshift Barend BS-M10 also work with Shimano 10 Speed MTB derailleur. I believe that the shifter part can be used as a downtube shifter.
https://www.microshift.com/models/bs-m10/
T4tomo
Legendary Member
The also do a road version the BS-R10. I have one on my gravel bike, playing nicely with a shimano 105 RD. I have never run it in friction mode though, as it works so well indexed, nor have I tried to fix it onto a downtube boss.
If you flick through the technical docs you can order a bolt kit, which would then tell you whether it would fit your existing bosses, if that is the crux of this thread following your comments on the other thread on friction shifters.
OP
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GuyBoden
Guru
How is the quality and functionality compared to a good quality shimano shifter?
T4tomo
Legendary Member
It looks and feels really solid and changes perfectly / indexing is spot on. I haven't had a Shimano bar-con to compare with, but its strikes me that it would be difficult for it to be much better. I had it out for some reason or other, and it was dead easy to replace and set up again.
Rusty Nails
We remember
I have ridden and worked on several bikes with Microshift shifters. They always seem to work well with Shimano ime, just as well as the original Shimano.
T4tomo
Legendary Member
get a pair and try them, I assure you they work in both directions
suntour power ratchet, for example frictioned against the cable tension, but ratcheted as you released tension, which help you be more precise and controlled on the downshift (or upshift) whichever you consider it.
don't ask me how they work, but they do.
OP
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GuyBoden
Guru
The Suntour Power shifter has a small cog, which a hardened piece of steel spring that fits into, that creates the ratchet, this allows the shifter to moves along each tooth of the cog in both directions, but only ratchets on the way down not on the way back up. I still have a few Suntour Power shifters in the garage.
See parts 11 cog (ratchet wheel) and 6 steel spring in the diagram below.
Single NOS Suntour Power Shifters are still available for £15+PP here:
https://bankruptbikeparts.co.uk/pro...-frame-fit-28-6mm?_pos=1&_sid=87bbbaa53&_ss=r
